One year later
by feegle78
Summary: Solas returns to Skyhold after being away for a year.


Solas watched her from the Fade. She stood alone on her balcony, the wind ruffling her long black hair around her shoulders and whipping into her face at times. She looked tired. Eamane. He hadn't spoken her name in over a year. He missed her.

He'd thought about visiting her in her dreams but didn't think he'd be welcome. Now he'd returned because he couldn't stay away from her any longer.

Sometimes when he watched her from the fade like he was doing now, the spirits wouldn't let him see all the memories. When he questioned them about it he received vague answers, he'd stopped asking when he'd realised the spirits has reasons for not allowing him to see.

Instead he savoured what he could see. She was beautiful. Even before he'd removed her vallislin he'd thought so.

As he watched the memory he saw her stiffen and look behind her, then grin and rush into her bedroom. When he tried to follow he was blocked by spirits.

"Let me pass." He said, he wanted to see what or who had her rushing into her rooms that way.

"Not yet. You can't see that yet, you have to go back to see." The spirit said not budging.

"See what?" Solas was getting impatient. He wanted to push past the spirit but managed to hold himself in check. The spirit shook its head, "Not like this. Go back."

Solas huffed out a breath, feeling anger start to stir in his stomach. What was in there that he couldn't see? Has Eamane found another after he'd left? He couldn't blame her if she did but the thought made jealousy burn in his gut.

He didn't press the issue any more. He turned and left the Fade, waking up in the cave under Skyhold he'd been staying in for the last week.

Maybe today he would have the courage to face her. Night had fallen, so he slipped from the cave and made his way to Eamanes rooms. He thought it would be better if his presence wasn't announced first. He tried the door handle and found it unlocked, and made his way up the stairs, intending to wait on her balcony. When he reached the top of the stairs he glanced towards her bed and what he saw there made him gasp for breath and his knees go weak.

Eamane made her way back to her rooms after having dinner in Skyholds tavern. She hugged her bundle to her, anxious to get inside out of the cold. She still had to drop the paperwork off to Leliana and give her reports to Cullen. Even though Corypheus was dead and the war was over there was still a lot of mess to clean up.

Maybe dropping the paperwork off could wait until morning. She looked again at the bundle she was carrying and nodded. Chances were Leliana and Cullen were already in their beds anyway. Shivering in the cold she hurried through Skyholds main hall and made her way up to her quarters.

When she made it up the stairs and threw the paperwork on her desk she turned towards her bed and walked softly to place her bundle in the crib next to her bed.

Her little daughter had been asleep for the better part of an hour and Eamane couldn't wait to slide into bed as well.

Making sure the baby was covered and warm, then stoking the fire and throwing another log onto it.

Making sure the door was shut to keep the room warm she stepped out onto her balcony like she had done every night for the last year. Sometimes she thought she could feel Solas watching her, which was silly she knew. And she knew she should be angry with him for ending things then leaving her the way he did, but all she felt was sadness.

"Venhan." She stiffened when she heard his voice behind her. If she turned around and he wasn't actually there she knew she'd be going insane.

Slowly she turned towards that voice. He was standing in the shadows, leaning back against the wall arms folded. The dim light from the moon glinted in his eyes.

"Solas?"

"Yes." He said taking a step towards her. He glanced into her room, his eyes falling on the crib.

"When did you get back?" she asked.

"How old is the child?" he asked still looking through the glass doors at the crib next to her bed.

"She's four months old." Eamane stood there unsure of how to proceed from here. When Solas just stood there and stared at her she laughed a little then said "You have a daughter Solas."

Solas felt like he had someone standing on his chest. In his long life he had never fathered a child. When he was young and impulsive he had been careful not to get any woman who mattered so little to him with child.

Now with the one woman who mattered most, he'd lain with her once and they had a daughter. What would a child of theirs be like when it-_she_ grew up? With so much magic in her blood.

"Would you like to meet her?" Eamane asked.

"Yes." Solas said stepping into her room again and moving towards the crib. He stopped a few feet away hesitating.

Eamane moved past him and picked up her little bundle. When she turned with their daughter in her arms, Solas fell to his knees.

"Ar ame abelas venhan. I didn't know" The words fell from his lips and tears welled in his eyes.

"Well, I didn't know myself until after you left. Then I didn't know where you were, so there was no way for me to tell you." She tried not to sound resentful but truthfully she was. But that could wait until tomorrow.

"Come and sit down Solas, meet your daughter."

She sat down on the lounge before the fireplace. Eamane held her precious bundle in her arms until Solas sat down next to her. She pulled back the blankets to reveal their beautiful little girl.

Long dark eye lashes rested against chubby cheeks that were flushed with sleep. She had a shock of black hair like her mothers and small delicately pointed ears. She sighed and stretched in her sleep, pursing her lips before settling back down again.

"What's her name?" Solas asked not taking his eyes of his little one as Eamane lay her in his arms.

"Amarthelian Solas Lavellan. Leliana has been calling her Amy." She babbled suddenly nervous.

Solas looked up at her. "Amarthelian Solas? Child of Solas. You named her for me?"

"Well, she is your daughter and I thought she should know something of her father so…"she trailed off not sure where she was going with that.

"Will you give her to your clan to raise?" he asked touching the baby's cheek with a gentle finger, she had his nose, her mother's mouth.

Eamane crossed her arms and raised her chin, "No."

When her Keeper had found out she was going to have a child she had expected Eamane to give her daughter to the clan to raise. Especially since both Amarthelian's parents were mages.

Eamane had refused. The keeper had argued with her and had left in a huff when she had kept refusing. The Keeper should have realised she wouldn't give her daughter up to anyone. Not even her clan.

"I only asked because-"

"I know why you asked." She snapped cutting him off.

"Amarthelian is my daughter. She stays with me." Solas looked up at Eamane and held a sad smile. He'd missed so much over the last year, even though he'd needed to leave.

He looked down at his little daughter. What power would she have when she grew?

"Solas I don't mean to be rude, but I'm very tired. If you don't mind I'd like to go to sleep." He looked up and noticed the dark circles under her eyes for the first time. Being Inquisitor and a mother would be exhausting.

"Go to sleep Venhan. If you don't mind I would like to hold her a little longer." He looked back down at his daughter.

Eamane opened her mouth to protest then thought better of it. She was too tired to argue. She bent and kissed her girl on the forehead and tucked the blanket more closely about her.

"Keep her warm." Solas merely nodded staring at the baby in his arms.

"And please, stop calling me Venhan."

Solas looked up sharply at Eamane, but said nothing.

They would talk in the morning.


End file.
